Pickles, now headed to work as Fifth District operations chief in Portsmouth, Va., was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal for his two years commanding Alert’s crew.

Anderson was previously assigned as Chief of Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information Technology Systems Branch at Atlantic Area in Portsmouth, Va.

The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition which signifies the transfer of responsibility and formally states the officer’s continuity and authority of command. It is a formal ritual conducted before the assembled company of the command and it confirms to the men and women of the unit the authority of command is maintained.